Come On People, It's January

 Why is it every year this time of year people freak out? It is so brutally cold and oh we have snow coming. It is January, we live in the Midwest and we always have 2 weeks in January where you want to pack a bag and go to the beach.

It started a week ago with the weather guessers telling us we were gonna have arctic air and snow and a blizzard and and and, ok it is January.

Saturday night started out with ice about 1/10" and then Sunday morning turned to snow.  When all was said and done we had about 11" at my house.  I filled the bird feeders 3 times yesterday. I did not see Licorice nor did I expect to and maybe not even today, he is hunkered down and when he feels it is ok he will come eat.

I live on a cul de sac of 4 houses and every time the city comes out to plow the snow they just make a big mess.  Well the guy really stepped in it last night, he blocked my neighbors in.  The neighbors had snow blown the driveways and of course he comes along and blocks everyone back in.  Then he just totally messed up the snow and made a mess where you really could not drive to get out.  I really wish they would leave us alone or get someone who knows how to take care of a cul de sac.

The deer were up last night in search of food, they like to hit the bird feeders but after a lot of that I have put the feeders up where they can not reach them.

See those ears that is a planter that is about 10" tall and the tracks are from all the birds.

That is my neighbors driveway, not sure his snow blower can break through that.

This is the ridges made in the cul de sac that we have to back into and over to get out. 
 

Crafting a Patterned Home: Kitchen and Dining Room

 The dining room has a lot of orange in it.  Picture in your mind a top part of the wall with large flowers, leaves and guineas with an orange background.  The bottom third of the wall is a green/orange plaid.  You would not think it would work but it does. The plaid is almost 3D.  As she talks in the first part of the book you have to keep trying things together until you like the look.  My house has a lot of color but no patterns except for the grain in the wood floors. I do have a patterned couch and my curtains all have patterns in them.  

This chapter shows you how to make tea towels, a tablecloth with lots of patterns and color, and napkins.  She has a couple pages on circles and dots.  Each plate has a different pattern against a cloth with circles of different colors.  She even has a pattern for a hexagon crocheted afghan that she keeps in the kitchen.  And yes she shows you how to make the plaid on the bottom of the dining room wall.  

And last but not least there is a pattern for making your own coasters.

I think the dining room  is one of my favorite walls with the guineas on it.

No I am not posting pictures you need to go find the book.  Like I said before I just like to sit down with this book when I am thinking of making something new for a room.  I find myself putting fabric together that I never would have before and I like it.  This book really makes you think outside the box.  I think this description on Amazon best describes the book:  

Jump into the world of pattern--get a crash course on the types of patterns and how they are made; learn how to gain inspiration and ideas from a variety of sources; explore ways of pairing different patterns together; and make patterns of your own to embellish your home. Kristin Nicholas takes us through her unique and dynamic farmhouse--and into her pottery studio and surrounding fields--and shares one-of-a-kind projects along the way. From a Geometric Striped Tablecloth for the kitchen to a Ceramic Tile Fireplace Surround in the library and a Printed Polka Dot Pillow for the bedroom, you'll discover both bold and subtle ways to add pattern to your home. Full of inspiration, and with bright photographs throughout, this is a vibrant guide to creating a home that sings with handmade touches.

1 Year Lila Grey

 A year ago today it was a cold snowy January day just like today.  I looked out around dusk to see if Licorice was up for dinner.  I saw a small gray long hair and a large black long hair cat on the deck.  I immediately went and got food and put it out for them.  They saw me and took off.  I thought why would someone let their cats out when it is awful out.  The next night same thing.  I posted pictures on the HOA FB page and no one responded.  I often saw the small gray cat with Licorice as well.  It got to be almost every night I would see this little cat and I put food out even though it rain off as soon as it saw me.  Little did I know she was in heat.  In April for a couple of days I did not see her and figured I just missed her.  Then that one day in May she came up to eat and let me pet her.  The rest as you know is history.  

She has furred out as if she was going to be outside.  I keep telling her she does not need to put that huge winter coat on but you know cats they do not listen.

Little did I know that a year ago today my life would drastically change for the better.  Thank you God for bringing her to me so she could have a good life inside.  I imagine today she is glad she is inside.

Book 2: Crafting a Patterned Home

 I love the way Kristin Nicholas kind of throws caution to the wind and puts colors together I would never have thought would work but they do.  I have some of her books and just love to look at the pictures.  This book is all about putting pattern in your home and making it work.

The books starts out talking about patterns, and all the different kinds out there.  Then she moves on to designing with the pattern you have chosen.  She talks about paint, printing and stamping, using fabric and creating your own pattern with fabric and thread, using yarn, and a tutorial on making napkins.  

She then has a chapter for each room of the house, a pottery shed and garden shed, and in the orchard under the pergola.  She does have a blog.  She also has knit patterns and yes there is lots of patterns and color.   

https://www.kristinnicholas.com.

Old blog:  https://getting-stitched-on-the-farm.blogspot.com

Current blog:  https://kristinnicholas.substack.com

Some of My Aprons

This is my January apron with snowmen. 

This apron I made from fat quarters. I love polka dots. But it does not have pockets.

This is one of my Halloween aprons.  It has pockets all across the bottom and is reversible to an orange back.

Of course I had to have one with coffee on it.

This is the first apron I made in the class that I made many from the pattern.  Kaffee Fassett fabric.

This is a bunch of my aprons but I love zinnias and there are oranges on the back.

My gingerbread men have pockets across the bottom.

I love poinsettias.  My fav Christmas apron.

My mom made me one with cats and sewing.

Kind of a fancy one with an elephant embroidered on the bib.

A fancy apron my mom made m.

My mom made me this Halloween apron.

My favorite saying from the book so far.  An apron doubles as a hand towel, never a tissue.
 

Book 1: The Apron Book

 Today starts the Library Winter Reading Challenge.  The theme is Works of Art.  My first book is The Apron Book.  I love aprons, I have my very first one I made for a badge in Brownies and I have an apron that was crocheted by one of my mom's friends for her when she was in HS.  So that apron is approaching antique cos my mom will be 92 in March.  I do not think she ever used it and I have it hanging on my bathroom linen closet door.  

My mom and I took an apron class years ago and between us we probably made 100 of them not only for ourselves but also for gifts.  I have several in my closet and many are holiday ones.  If I am baking I always put one on cos you now flour and stuff fly through the air. If I am crafting I put one on as I am up and down from the basement getting stuff like thread, buttons, etc.  An apron MUST have pockets cos where else do you put your kleenex? I also prefer a whole body apron not just one that ties at the waist, cos you know flour flies through the air, the mixer slings food, etc. 

This book has quite the history and information about aprons through the years.  There is also a pattern in the back.  I will be writing more about the book as I read through it and post some of the more interesting aprons.

This is my mom's apron. I can see why she never work it. It is more of a party apron.

This is my apron I made when in Brownies for a sewing badge. 

Like I Need Another Project Part 2

 I have all the Imagined Landscape gnome patterns and book.  I was planning on starting them this year.  She has a knitting gnome coming out soon that I want to make for my knit group for Christmas.  I decided to take the plunge and jump in the KAL this year, make one gnome a month.  Since I decorate with snowmen for January I decided to start with Snow Matter What.  This one happens to have 2 pieces.  These are fun but very fiddly like making Barbie Doll clothes.  I am using a light and dark purple, and white.  So here goes, I will post pictures periodically.

Like I Need Another Project

 A friend of mine posted on FB a picture of a woman with a beautiful sort of granny square afghan she made.  She took the color of each book cover she read and make a square and sewed them together.

I love this idea.  However, I have read 123 books this year and that will be a lot of squares to make.  But it sounds like fun and I have so many little balls of yarn to do something with that I think I will do this.  If I take an evening after reading the book and make the square and attach as I go well I wonder what it will look like at the end of 2025.

How about you?  Up for a challenge?  I do have my first 5 books picked out as I am participating in the Library Winter Reading Challenge, so I may as well go find the yarn and start a new project bag.

The bad part of this project, weaving in all those ends.  Maybe I will just tie them off and then I know for sure where the back is, probably not though cos my grandmother would thump me from up there and I do not want to be thumped. 

RIP Jim

 Today we had the Celebration of Life for one of my fav people at church.  He and my dad used to spar back and forth about the Bible and other things.  Dad taught the Sunday School class and Jim would always have to disagree with dad. I sometimes think he did it just to get the discussion going.  Jim was one person my dad always remembered after the dementia set in.  

Because they lived a ways from church whenever his wife had to come to church for something, he would drive her, bring a book or Ipad and find a quiet place to either read or listen to some political thing on his Ipad.  If I was there I always stopped by to chat for a few minutes that would turn into an hour or more.  It was as if a bit of my dad was still here.  

Jim was quite the character, you never knew what he was going to say or do.  He will leave a large hole at church and in our hearts.  Losing Jim was a bit like losing my dad all over again.  I know those two are up there talking about things and disagreeing just because they could.  

You two behave and I will see you again one day.  

I Remember Them All

 

I remember all of these songs.  When I was in Junior High we used to go to the skating rink and skate to Crimson and Clover.  

They do not make music like they used to.  I was listening to the radio in my car the other day and when I was young you could tell the band in a few notes, the tone, the instruments, etc.  Today's music you can have.  Not for me.

Library Winter Reading Challenge

 Every Winter for I have no idea how many years the library has a reading challenge.  The month of January and February and part of March we have to read 5 books.  If you log at least 5 books you get a coffee mug.  I do not pick mine up as I do not need another one and the logo/picture washes off even with hand washing.  They always seem to run out so someone can have mine.  They do have a theme which I try to read even though it may not be my thing.  This year is Works of Art.  As a crafter I do believe what we make is a work of art.  So I went to my book stash and found 5 books I feel are all about creating Works of Art.

We start Jan 2 for 73 days.  I have mapped out that I need to read 16 pages/day to meet the deadline. I know I am anal about some things. 

Happy 8 months

 The boys are 8 months old today, they have grown so much in the short time they have been in.  Chunky is my shadow and a snuggler.  Grayson has to have his head rubbed but nothing else, I can not kiss him on the forehead or pick him up, he is so skittish but they all sleep on the bed at night so we are making very slow progress with him.  He is going to be a big tom.  Chunky and BigBoy are beginning to play together.  Everyone is slowly getting used to each other.  They have so much energy, sure wish I could bottle that up to use in the future.  I know they won't be kittens much longer so I enjoy watching them grow as much as I can.  I am so glad I got Lila and the boys inside.

RIP Wyatt

 Wyatt was one of my "shared pets" who lived next door.  I took care of them when the family was gone.  He was so sweet.  When I would let him and Jake out he did his business and then had to sniff every blade of grass in the back yard.  He was a digger too so had to make sure he did not get out of the fence.  He had lost a lot of weight, and started having seizures so it was time for him to go play with Jake.

We will miss you sweet boy.